Who thought that by 2018 we’d have cars that could fly? While we are quite there yet, self-driving cars are more of a reality for us. IoT wins again with cars that can park themselves, stream videos and take voice commands. While this sounds all great, the security of such technology is concerning. One concern is that cybercriminals will be able to hack into a vehicle’s connected system and cause real life-threatening accidents, supply chain disruptions, and potential reputation damage for manufacturers. Gartner predicts that the number of connected cars manufactured will grow from 12.4 million in 2016 to 61 million by 2020.

We usually keep our podcast political-free, but when it comes to elections, you can imagine the amount of cyber threats and hacking news that arises. Between fake news and fake websites, elections are becoming a hot topic. Microsoft recently took down a number of fake websites created by Fancy Bear – a hacking group that focuses on geopolitical disruption. Fancy Bear is known for targeted spear phishing attacks and domain doppleganging to obtain credentials to access information like email and document repositories, according to Ollie Whitehouse.

Two popular internet browsers, Apple’s Safari and Microsoft’s Edge, are vulnerable to a website spoofing bug. What this means is that while the intended website URL may be displaying the address bar, content from a spoofed webpage actually loads. The vulnerability would allow attackers to gather usernames, passwords, and other data from users. It’s reported that Microsoft has patched the vulnerability, but Apple is yet to take action.

Want your kids to learn how to code? Kano, a learn-to-code startup, makes products that allow kids to learn how to code and build their own computers through kits. The next thing Kano wants kids to learn is how to build their own tablet. Kano’s products are geared towards kids ages 6-13 years of age. This might be a great Christmas present this year!

Have you tried to convince your boss you need an assistant, but your request keeps getting declined? Well, you’re not alone, but there is a clever way around it, and more cost effective than hiring a person to fulfill the role. Some are starting to use their Google Home devices at work to be their virtual assistant. Google Home can dial the phone for you, keep tabs on your schedule, schedule appointments for you, take notes for you, and even send quick messages on your behalf.

Browser extensions have often made our lives easier. Quick access to the tools we need and use repeatedly can help us increase productivity. But Mega.nz fell victim to cybercrime and warned its users of a recent security incident. This serves a gentle reminder to us all that even the most credible browser extensions are vulnerable to cybercrime. So, the question remains…Are browser extensions worth the security risk?

Listen to "Bottom Line IT" every week on The Michigan Business Network. We break down the technobabble by providing news, practical tips, and answers to your most pressing technology questions. We talk about how technology can be used to mitigate risks, reduce costs, increase efficiency, and produce profits for businesses.